Show case



Aug. 27, 1929- L. w. KENNEDY SHOWCASE 5 Sheets-Sheet l Fileq. April 15. 1928 Aug. 27, 1929.

L. W. KENNEDY SHOWCASE Filed April 13, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 amoeutoz Zea Mkenneay antenna; 5

Aug. 27, 1929- L. w. KENNEDY SHOWCASE Filed April 13, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet gvwzwlfoz A e '0 M Aenndy Patented Aug. 27, 1929.

PATENT OFFICE.

LEO W. KENNEDY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SHOW

Application filed April 13.

This invention relates to show cases and more particularly to improvements therein tending to simplify, render more efiicient and improve the same generally.

The herein described invention has as one of its important objects to provide a construction wherein the threshold or sill member with which the closure or door engages in closed position is removable whereby to facilitate the cleaning of the bottom or floor of the show case and the dispensing of the contents thereof.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a show case construction provided with a slidable swinging door or closure incorporating novel features of design and construction.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a show case having novel means for rigidly uniting the front top and side lights of the show case, said means including a plurality of brackets or clips which can be manufactured from a minimum number of standard parts and assembled to provide brackets or clips suitable for any of the necessary connections between the several lights.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a show case having clips or brackets by means of which the several lights may be detachably united so as to facilitate the assembling of the show case and permit the same to be knocked down for shipment.

A further object of the herein described invention is to provide a show case construction having means for quickly and easily positioning and supporting partitions within the show case.

Many other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of this invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 a fragmentary perspective View of a show case constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a semi-diagrammatic plan view of a complete show case.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the show case.

Figure at is a fragmentary perspective view of a door and the supporting mechanism therefor.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken CASE.

1928. Serial No. 269,806.

substantially on the plane indicated by line 5-5 in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 66 in Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan view of one corner of the show case.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the said corner of the show case.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the union of the front, top and a side light of the show case section and the front light or partition of a space in the counter.

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 1010 in Figure 1 with the doors in closed position.

Figure 11 is a similar view taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 11-11 in Figure 1 with the doors in closed position.

Figure 12 is a similar view taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 12-12 in Figure 1 with the doors in closed position.

Figure 13 is a perspective view of one of the clips or brackets employed.

Figure 14 is a perspective view of another clip or bracket employed, and I Figures 15 and 16 are views indicating the manner in which the standardized parts of the clips or brackets may be connected together to provide a clip suitable for any one of the several joints of the show case lights.

Referring now particularly to the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like parts it will be noted that there is illustrated a show case including a base or bottom 10 which in practice is adapted to rest upon the frame work of the counter or the like. Thus usually the base 10 constitutes the bottom of the show case and usually also the top of the counter.

. Arranged substantially peripherally of the base 10 are fillet or molding strips 11 which receive and support the lower edges of the glass sheets or lights constituting the ends and front of the show case. The front lights are indicated by the reference character 12 and the end lights by the reference character 13. The upper edge of the molding strips 11 are rabbetcd or grooved as indicated at 1 1 for accommodating the edges of the lights and retaining strips 15 are preferably employed for holding the edges of the glass sheets in the grooves or rabbets.

The reference character 16 indicates the end pillars of the show case and the refer ence character 17 the intermediate pillars. Facing strips 18 of wood or any other preferred material are usually associated with' the end pillars 16 so that the desired finish may be applied to these exposed portions.

Spanning the space between adjacent pil lars are threshold or sill members 19. These members define the lower edge of the door opening and are engaged by the door in the closed position of the latter. Tn order to facilitate the dispensing or scooping up of the contents of the show case and the cleaning of the showcase and permit any dirt or other foreign matter to be brushed therefrom these threshold members are readily removable. For this purpose each pillar member is provided witha pin or projection 20 extendinglaterally therefrom and adapted to engage a groove 21 formed in the end of the threshold member 19. These slots are open at one side and one end and thus the threshold members may be engaged with the pins 20 by a substantially downward vertical movement and are permitted to rest upon the bottom 10 of which to form the grooves 21 and in practice the threshold members will ordinarily be made in standard lengths and then cut to size depending upon the distance between adjacent pillars.

. The pillars 17 may conveniently be formed of T-bars and when this type of pillar is employed the pins 20 may be of such length as to permit them to be driven through the main web of the T-bar and project on opposite sides thereof so as to accommodate the adj acent ends of a pair of threshold members 19 as most clearlyillustrated in Figure 6. its a convenient means of securing the lower ends of the pillars 17 to the base 10 I provide base flanges 24 secured to the end of the pillars 17 by providing the latter with lugs or projections 25 adapted to project through apertures in the base flange 24, these projections being subsequently riveted as shown at 26. Securing means 27 are passed through suitable apertures in the base flange 2% and into the base 10.

The top light of the show case is indicated by the reference character 28 and the rear edge of this light is supported by a longitudinally extending frame member 29 which in the preferred embodiment consists essentially of an angle bar supported throughout its length by the pillars 16 and 17.

By particularreference to Figures 1 and 3 and to detail Figures 4, 10 11 and 12 the particular preferred construction of the doors will be described. he frame of the door is formed preferably of angle bars 30 providing a flange 31 with which glass retaining strips 32 cooperate to secure in place the glass sheets or lights 33 of the doors. Obviously the flange 31 extends inwardly of the door and the other flange 34 extends outwardly therefrom. This outwardly extending flange 34 at the bottom is adapted to overlie the threshold members 19 in the closed position of the door and in order to cushion the engagement of each door member with the threshold member leaf springs 35 are provided which upon engagement of the door with the threshold memliiers are flexed or flattened and thus cushion the movement of the door.

Carried by each pillar l7 a roller 36 adapted to travel in a guideway formed by the flange 34 of the frame of the door at the sides thereof and a cooperating guide stri p 37. The guide way at one end is closed by a spring 38 in which the roller 86 rests when the door is in its open position. The up wardly curved portion 38 forms a resilient abutment over which the roller 36 passes so that the rollers are resiliently held in the ends of the guide when the door is in open position. At the intermediate pillars 17 a pair of these rollers 36 may be conveniently mounted upon a single shaft 39 passed through an aperture in the main web of the pillar and extending on opposite sides thereof. This construction is most clearly illustrated in Figure 10. The shaft 39 may be secured in place by providing the same with a collar 39 which can be spot-welded or othei wise secured to the web of the pillar. a spacingwasher 39 being slipped on to the shaft 39 to space the adjacent roller 36 a distance corresponding to the other roller.

While each door slides over a pair of rollers 36 located at each end thereof the door is secured to the pillars by links lO pivotally connected as at 41 to the respective pillar and as at 42 to the door adjacent the lower edge thereof. A convenient means of attaching links 40 to the pillar 17 is shown in Figure 11 where the stud 41 which forms the pivotal connection is provided with a shoulder l?) which engages one face of the main web of the pillar. The stud 4:1 may be secured in place by for instance spot-weld ing the flange or shoulder 43 to the web of the pillar. A washer l-il is then slipped upon the end of the stud to space the corresponding link L0 and washers or the like 45 are secured in place by means of screws or the like 46. The pivotal connection previously referred to at 1-2 consists of the stud 42 providing this pivotal connection. This stud has a reduced portion for receiving the apertured end of the link 40 and connection is made with the frame 30 of the door by means of brackets 47 secured thereto, fastening members 48 being passed through the brackets 47 and studs 42 and riveted into place in a manner most clearly illustrated in Figure 12.

In operation the doors are swung from closed position in which the lower edge there of is in engagement with the threshold momber 19 and the door opening completely closed, to the fully open position illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 and during this movement of the door the pair of link members swing from a position substantially parallel with the pil lars to the position illustrated in Figure 3 and the doors have a rolling or sliding engagement with the rollers 36, the guideways at the sides of the door moving relatively to these rollers. Obviously handles such as illus trated at 49 will be provided for operating the door.

As shown most clearly in Figure 2 a complete show case may consist of three sections A provided intermediate thereof with spaces B for cash registers or the like. In such a show case arrangement the front light 12 will extend throughout the entire length of the show case across the two spaces B, these space: however being open at the top and back sides thereof. Obviously various types or forms of clips or brackets are necessary in order to unite the front, top and side lights, the character of these clips varying according to the points in the show case construction at which they are applied. In order to simplify and cheapen the cost of manufacture and to facilitate the construction and assembly of show cases of this character I have provided means whereby the necessary clips or brackets may be constructed from a minimum number of standard parts. In describing these clips or brackets particular reference is made to Fig ures 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15 and 16. By reference to these figures it will be noted that the principal clip or bracket consists essentially of top clip 50 provided with a pair ofdownwardly extending projections or cars 51 adapted for embracing engagement with one of the end lights or intermediate li 'hts and with a return-bent portion providing an ear or projection 52 adapted for en'ibracing en gagement with the top light. A clip 53 which is substantially U-shaped in cross section is adapted to be secured to the clip 50 as indicated at 5 1 and the function of clip 53 is to embrace or engage the front light. The manner in which the clips or bracl ets just described are associated with the several lights which they are adapted to unite is clearly illustrated, particularly in Figures 7, 8 and 9. The edge of the end or transverse light 13 is cut away at its upper-edge as indicatedat 13 and at its forward edge as in- (heated at 13 to accommodate the adjacent portions of the clip member 5053. Thus the front light 12 may beheld in engagement with the adjacent edge of the end or transverse light 13 and the top light 28 may be secured in engagement with the top edge of the end or transverse light 13. It is gen erally customary and preferably to associate a strip of felt 55 with each clip or bracket, this strip of felt overlying the top clip 50 as suggested in dotted lines in Figure 13 and being arranged between this bracket and the under side of the top light. Thus a large portion of the clip is concealed from view.

Ass-illustrated in Figures 15 and 16 the top clip 50 may be constructed with the offset portion 56 thereof on one side or the other and may therefore in effect constitute left hand an d right hand clips. The clip members 53 are adapted to be secured as for instance by the rivet 5st to the top clips 50 and may be secured thereto in the manner indicated in full lines in Figures 15 and 16 or in dotted lines in these two figures or where the occasion demands the clip members 53 maybe secured to the top clips 50 so that the edges thereof project uniformly from both sides of the top clip members. For example, by designat- 111g the form of clip or bracket shown in Figure 15 in full lines as bracket C and that shown in Figure 16 as D and by reference to Figure 2 it wlll be noted that bracket D will be utilized at the left hand end of the show tee and bracket C at the right hand end thereof. Considering the dotted line form of bracket shown in Figure 15 as bracket E and that shown in Figure 16 as bracket F it will be noted from Figure 2 that these forms are used at the points indicated thereon at E and F respectively. At the points E and F the clip portion 53 is adapted to straddle the joint between the front lights 12 as most clearly illustrated in Figure 9, one of these lights being that portion which extends across the opening B for the cash register or the like. Therefore, with the three standard parts, that is, the left and right hand top clips 50 and the clip 53, clips suitable for any of the joints may be constructed. Clips 57 are secured to rail or frame member 29 for securing the top light 28 thereto at spaced in tervals.

It is frequently necessary to provide a transverse support for the front and top lights and for this purpose I employ the type of clip or bracket illustrated in Figure 14. This clip is indicated by the reference character 58 and consists of a top clip member 59 having a return-bent portion 60 adapted to engage the edge of the top light 28 and with a downwardly extending U-shaped clip 61 adapted to engage the upper edge of the front light. A downwardly extending ear or flange 62 is provided with a threaded aperture 63 for the reception of the threaded end of a tie rod 64, see particularly Figure The other end of this tie rod will be connected. as at 65 preferably to the under side of the rail 29.

In order to provide convenient means for partitioning the interior of the show case I propose employing supporting elements 66 each provided with an upwardly opening vertical slot 67 adapted to receive and support the lower edge of division partitions 68. These supports 66 rest upon the bottom or baselO of the show case and are each preferably provided with an aperture 69 adapted to engage pins or posts 70 secured in the base 10. The pins 70 will preferably be secured to the base at the points where it is desired to have the division partitions 68 arranged and then the supports 66 will be associated with the partition 68 and then located on the pins 70. In this manner both the partitions and the supports therefor may be readily removed to facilitate cleaning the show case. It will be noted that the pins 70 do not extend entirely through the base 10 so that when the show case is washed for the purpose of cleaning the same the water or other cleaning fluid will not leak through the base 10 with the possibility of spoiling anything stored under the show case.

The base 10 is preferably covered as indicated at 71, with any desired or preferred material which covering material extends up over the inner face of the fillet strips 11 to cover the joint between these strips and the base and also over the rear edge of the base 10 as most clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 3.

While an embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated herein somewhat in detail it will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art that various changes, modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention and to this end reservation is made to make such changes as may come within the purview of the accompanying claims.

l/V hat I claim as my invention is 1.. In a show case construction, the combination with an intermediate pillar arranged between two door openings, of doors for said openings and means for-mounting said doors upon said intermediate pillar comprising links pivotally connected to said doors and pivotally connected at their other ends by a common means to said pillar, rollers carried by said pillar, guides on said doors with which said rollers are engageable and a common means for mounting said rollers upon said pillar, said common means including collared shafts extending through said pillar with the collars thereof integrated with and secured to said pillar.

2. In a. show case construction, a door including a frame formed of angle bars having inwardly and outwardly extending flanges, means cooperating with the inwardly extending flange for securing a sheet of glass in said frame and means cooperating with the other flange at the ends of the door for forming roller guide ways, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a show case construction, a pillar, a roller carried by said pillar, a door pivotally mounted relative to said pillar, a guide on said door through which said roller moves, and a resilient abutment at the end of said guide with which said roller engages to hold said door in open position.

4. In a show case construction, a pillar, a roller carried by said pillar, a door pivotally mounted relative to said pillar, a guide on said door through which said roller moves, and yieldable means at one end of said guide for gripping said roller.

5. A show case construction including in combination, a base, spaced pillars, and a top, said base, pillars and top defining an opening into the interior of the show case; a door, means for pivotally and slidably mounting said door on said pillars whereby it may be swung to a point adjacent said top and substantially clear of said opening, a threshold for said door extending between said aillars and engaging said base, devices fixed to said show case for holding said threshold in place, and cooperative means associated with said threshold whereby the threshold may be readily removed from said show case.

6. A show case construction including in combination, a base, a pair of spaced pillars secured thereto, a door extending between said pillars, means for pivotally and slidably mounting said door on said pillars whereby said door may be swung to a substantially horizontal aosition adjacent the top of said pillars, a threshold extending between said pillars and engaging said base and cooperating with said door to close the opening between said pillars, devices on said show case for securing said threshold in place, and cooperative means carried by said threshold whereby the latter may be readily removed from said show case without said securing devices.

'7. A show case structure including in combination, a base, spaced pillars secured there to, and end, front and top lights of glass; a threshold resting on said base and extending between said pillars, devices fixed to said show case and cooperative means carried by said threshold for securing said threshold in place, said devices and means permitting the ready removal of said threshold from the show case.

8. A show case structure including a base, spaced pillars, and end, front and top li hts of glass a threshold extending from one of said pillars to the other and engaging said base, devices fixed to said show case for holding said threshold in place, and cooperative means associated with said threshold whereby the latter may be readily removed lars for holding said threshold in place, and from said show case Without said holding cooperative means associated with said 10 devices. threshold whereby the latter may be readily 9. A show case construction including in removed from said show case Without the 5 combination, a base, a pair of pillars spaced holding means aforesaid.

apart, and end, front and top lights; a In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. threshold extending between said pillars and engaging said base, means fixed to said pil- LEO W. KENNEDY. 

